Summary: how much pushing does a stubborn person need to finally face himself, and how much is too much? Kanda-centric. Slashy.

Pairing: Kanda/Lavi. Warning: slash pairing.

Declaimer: DGM nor its characters are mine.

"Imagination is an axiom. One can't argue with it."

Selina-sempai

A step away

- Prologue -

Mountains. A beautiful landscape, full of life, endless green hills, sun reflected in the surface of a restless water of a quick stream – a peaceful atmosphere for those who could enjoy it. Someone couldn't.

Kanda Yuu swore for the ninety ninth time that hour: how he ended up babysitting two exorcists, who in all honesty were older than he, was beyond him.

It had a rather promising beginning – a mission to retrieve innocence. Things became uglier when Komui informed him the details: rumors said somewhere in the mountains was a witch who could heal people, even almost desperate and hopeless illness could be cured by her. The swordsman didn't like the sound of 'witch'. He was confirmed in the beliefs the mission would be troublesome when given information on his partners for that time.

Seeing hopeful and determined looks on normally emotionally unstable exorcists was almost enough to make Kanda snap, and they were only in a hall ready to take the elevator down to the underground waterway.

The bastard supervisor refused to let him go alone – none of the missions was to be run by only one exorcist nowadays, the exception being the generals. But both pitiful at once?

"Don't worry, Krory, Miranda, I'm sure you'll do your best!" and of course the blasted Moyashi just had to be there as well, to say goodbye and wish them luck.

"Of course you will, Miranda, Kuro-chan!" along with the most annoying person in the whole Order.

"Tch," was the only sound heard from the irritated swordsman but it did provoke somewhat frightened and unsure expressions from his mission partners to be. He turned away, he really didn't care.

"Yuu!" a sudden cheerful cry form Lavi. "I completely forgot to tell you something very-very important!" and Kanda was dragged to a far corner.

The look the redhead gave facing him was surprisingly serious.

"Yuu, you are as close to a perfect exorcist going on a mission as one could possibly be, but I still don't think you should complicate your job. Don't scare your own comrades; it won't work with these two, they are already uncertain enough. You do want the mission done as quickly as possible, don't you? So trust a friendly advice, don't be counterproductive."

With that Bookman Jr. had the gall to turn around and stride back to the company, leaving Kanda gaping, for once too stunned to protest and threaten or otherwise express his outrage.

After some attempts at meditation, not that he could find a quiet lonely place on the train – if only that woman would stop making a frightened squeak every time he as much as glanced in her general direction – a part of Kanda's mind was able to reluctantly admit that Lavi could probably be right. "The hell, how dare he say something like that!" though to admit it completely would take time. A lot of time.

And right now these musings left the swordsman with a restraint of snapping.

"Damn you, Lavi!" was the hundredth curse.

- TBC -

AN.

The author actually believes neither Krory nor Miranda are that pitiful. But they do have some inhibitions and gentle traits in their respectful characters. Add Kanda's harshness to the mix and you'll get why the author thought Lavi would be inclined to make the speech.

Speaking about Kanda, after discussing it quite a lot in several forums and thinking about it, the author has an established opinion about Kanda Yuu. He is not stupid (as a surprisingly huge amount of people think he is). Sure he has some silly traits, like him being very stubborn. He once decided how to act and follows this line, no sidestepping. And he's very short-tempered. But that doesn't mean he's stupid, he just needs a lot of persuasion to change his mind (it is a trait of Japanese culture and traditions, no?)

So, Kanda's actions in this fic would be based on these conclusions.